Wiston has seemed a bit lonely of late. Summer is behind us here in our world and it’s time to settle in for earnest and brace ourselves for winter ahead. Wet, grey and soggy.

He sits alone reading his books and favourite magazine, but doesn’t have anyone to laugh at his jokes or hear tales of his travels.

He has yet to sort through the pictures of his trips from the last few months and will be back with more tales of who he met and what he saw along the way. But for the ‘settling in’ part of life, he has been longing for company.

I’m reminded every now and then of the phrase about “a bird and fish falling in love, but where would they make a home”. It’s such a well known and curious concept to ponder.

So off he went to the pet store in search of The Perfect Companion...

But first he had to clean out the old glass vessel and get it ready to call home.

Clean the rocks, bury the aerator and add the plants to make it look homey.

Wiston had decided to get two gold fish at the pet store. He didn’t want one to be lonely if he was away. When he saw them in the tank at the store chasing each other around, how could he think of separating them ? They had to come to live with him as a pair. The more the merrier he thought.

Checked the temperature of the water. The bag that he had brought his friends home from the store was lowered into the water. They drifted in the old space and he made sure they were used to the new space.

And then he set them free…

He said I will call you ‘Phoebe’.

And I will call your orange and speckled brother ‘Finn’.

All settled in and getting along beautifully.

Life is richer with friends to share and companionship all round. Wiston couldn’t be happier.

So a Mouse and a Fish can fall in love and they can definitely make a home.

This is what Rumi wrote in ‘ The Alchemy of Love’

“You come to us from another world, from beyond the stars and void of space. Transcendant, pure, of unimaginable beauty, bringing with you the essence of love. You transform all who are touched by you. Mundane concerns, troubles and sorrows dissolve in your presence, bringing joy to the ruler and ruled, to peasant and king. You bewilder us with your grace, all evils transform to goodness. You are the master alchemist. You light the fire of love, in earth and sky, in heart and soul of every being. Through your loving existence and non existence erge all opposites unite. All that is profane becomes sacred again.” Rumi